Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-20
GERALD
Irosiiss Illustrated Magazine. J


uithout wondering what is passing be-
hind the house-irouts without PIC
iuting a comedy here, love.seene
ilerc. and behind the dingy cane binds
q something ill-defned, something
odd and 6isdrrc. They experience
Won believe thcm-a sense Of loneliness
ont in the street, an impotence OF the
eameness of all these many houses,
their dull bricks and discreet windows,
and a longing that some one would step
on, and ask them 20 enter and see the
play.
Nell. I have never felt any OF these
n irgs. Int rs / was passing through
FJgharlinec Square about 1880 o'clock
one evening in last July after dining
III remember rightly, in Baker street.
something happened TO me which l
fancy may be Of interest to such people
was passing through the Square
from north 10 south, and 20 avoid o
srrall crowd. which some reception had
drawn together, ! left the pavement ana
,truck across the road 10 the patti round
Tho oval garden. which, 10y the way,
contains a few Of the finest trees IN
London. This part was IN deep
shadow. so that when ] presently
,mcrccd from il and recrosscd the road
"a the pavemcnt near the top OF Fitz-
bordinee street / had an advantage over
npy persons on the pavement. They
were under The lamps, while |, coming
from beneath the trees, was almost IN
visible.
The door Of the house immediatelyin
front Of me rs crossed was open, and
san elderly man-seryant out of livery
was standing at il, looking up and
down the pavement 10y turns. 1t was
ms AIR of furtivc anxiety that drew my
attention 10 him. He was not like a
man locking for cab or waiting for his
sweetheart. and / had my eye upon him
as stepped upon the pavement before
him. But my surprise was great
when he uttered low exclamation Of
dismay at sight OF me and made as II he
would escape while his face, in the
full glare of the light, grew so pale and
tcrror-strickcn that he might before
have been completely at his ease. /
was astonished, and instinctively stood
still, returning his gaze ; for perhaps
twenty seconds We remained so, he
speecblcss and his hands fallen by his
side. Then. before ] could move on,
rs was in the act of doing, he cried ::
ooh Mr.. George Oh Mr. George !"
in tone that rang out in the stiffness
rather as q wall than an ordinary cry.
~
George. For InOmeut | took the adj
dress TO myself, forgetting that the man
was stranger. and my heart began to
beat more quickly with fear OF what
might have Happened. "What is 1t "
| exclaimed. What is it ?" and [
shook back from the lower part of my
face the silk muller | was wearing.
The evening was close, but had been
sulfe ring from a sore throat.
He came nearer and peered more
closely at ne. and dismissed my fear,
for thought that | could sec the dis
cov,ry Of his mistake dawning upon
him. His paid face, on which
the pallor was the more noticeable as
his plump featur were those OF a
man with whom the world as rule,
went well, reRaircd some of It's lost
color. and n sigh Of relief passed his
6re. Eut this feeling was only mo-
mcntary. The JOY of escape from
whatever blow he had thought immi-
mont gave place ut once to his previous
state of miserable expectancyof some
thing or other.
"You took me for another person, "
! said, preparing to pass on. AT that
moment could have sworn would
have given one hundred to one twice
ovcr~that lie WAS going to say yes.
10 my intense astonishment, he did not.
With a very visible effort he said,
"Noi"
"Eh! What ?" / exclaimed. L had
taken a step or two.
"No, sir.
"Thon what is it 2" said. "What
do YOU want. my good fellow ?"
Watching his shutting undetermined
manner | wondered if he were sane
His next answer rejssured me on that
MONT. There was an almost desperate
dclheration about its manner. My
master wishes to see you, sir, II YOU
will kindly walk in for five minutes,
was what he said.
! should have replied, "Who is your
maeter?" if had been wise {; or cried
Nonsense " and gone my way. But
the mind, when it is spurred 10y sud
den emergency, often overruns the more
Obvious course to adopt n worse. 1t
WAS pcssible that one of my intlnateS
lad taken the house and said IN his
butler's presence that he wished to see
mo Thinking Of that, | answered
Are YOU sure OF this? Have you not
made q mistake, my man ;"
With an obstinate sullenness that was
new in him he said, No, he had not.
Would please 10 walk in? He stepped
brisklv forward as he spoke, and IN
duced me 10y n kind of gentle urgency
10 enter the house, taking from mt
with the ease of a trained servant my
hat. coat, and muller Finding him
sClf in the course of his duties he gained
more Composurc; while J, beng thus
treated, lost my sense of the strange
ness Of the proceeding, and only awolt
10 full consciousness OF nay position
when he lad softly shut the door be
hind rs End was in the act OF putting
VI The Chain. ...,
Then contest looked round htt!,
alarmed at my precipitancy. But
found the han lofty, spacious, ans
daik-ranelled, the ordinary hall OF al
old Iondon house. The big fireplace
was flied with plants in flower. Their
were lurs on the floor and number o
chairs with painted crests on the backs
and in . corner was an old sedan chair
its poles upright against the wal.
No other servants were visible, 1t 1
true but apart from this all was II
order. all was quiet, and any idea o
violence was maIifestly absurd.
81 the same time the affair seemed o
the strongest. Why should the butte
in charge of a well-arranged and hand
some house-the house of an ordInar,
wealthy gentleman-why should h
letter about the open doorway as !
anxious to feel the presence OF his KIND
WHY should he show such nervous OK
citement and terror as l had witnessed
Why should he introduce a stranger
Isl had reached this point when he lee
the way upstairs. The staircase wa
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